There are a wide variety of known table saws which are used for cutting and ripping wood. Generally, a table having a flat working surface in provided on top of a work stand. For safety reasons, it is desirable to utilize a safety blade guard which covers the blade when the saw is in use. The blade guard is intended to protect against wood chips or the like being thrown from the saw and prevents the operator from getting caught by the saw. One conventional safety guard arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,442. As seen therein, a shield is pivotally coupled to the back edge of the table and the operator may manually lift and/or drop the shield. Although such an arrangement is much safer than unguarded sawblades, there is always a chance that the saw will be inadvertently started while the guard is up, thereby leaving an unprotected blade and increasing the risk of accidents. Further, the blade may be exposed when the saw is not in use, which also cause injuries.